DP who had a good day locally Thursday afternoon (2 Redshank, ditto Little Owl & LEO) took us up to the sharp end this am for a good slog which turned out to be worth the effort. Moorland birds were very active and we got a bonus migrant which was rather unexpected.
3 chipping Snipe, 4 Red Grouse, ditto Skylark, 8 Oystercatcher, similar Curlew, several Lapwing. 1 f Goosander, pr Greylag, pr Mistle Thrush, 3 Redwing, 5 Blackbird, Kestrel.
7 Golden Plover did a flypast.
A belting Red Kite hung around for 5/6 minutes giving very good views as it dodged 5 mobbing Crows. A very distant large corvid was adjudged to be a Raven and the migrant wasn't the hoped for Wheatear but a Swallow in flight a 100 metres or so below Lower Gorple embankment.
I've received some encouraging news from a trusted source of a probable LSW in Northowram. A Buzzard, few Redwing & a couple of Fieldfare also there today.
